Dowie spent three years as a player at Loftus Road - as well as a short spell as caretaker manager - and victory will have tasted particularly sweet after his side came from behind late on with Michael Mifsud equalising Akos Buzsaky's stunning opener.
The visitors were the brighter earlier on as they left a Rangers side, who had only conceded one goal in their past five games, chasing shadows.
Their luck soon ran out though as their starting line-up was decimated by injury as first Martin Cranie, then Mikele Leigertwood and finally Marc Nygaard were all forced off through injury before half-time.
However, QPR were stung into action and less than five minutes after the interval Luigi De Canio's men took the lead through a superb strike from Buzsaky.
The Hungarian is on loan from Plymouth with a view to a permanent move and after this goal they should snap him up immediately.
Controlling a loose ball 25 yards out, Buzsaky shrugged off two challenges, strode forward a couple of paces and launched a rocket into the top corner.
But the lead only lasted ten minutes as Mifsud finally broke through as he had been threatening to all evening.
The forward collected Dele Adebola's pass, rounded Lee Camp and slotted home, despite the best efforts of Sampsa Timoska on the line.
Coventry then piled on the pressure and made the breakthrough their pressure deserved as substitute Kyle rose highest in injury-time to head home Marcus Hall's hanging cross and lift his side into the play-off picture.